The invention relates to a teat.
A baby ideally drinks from its mother's breast. However, there are various reasons why this is not always possible. For many years now, attempts have therefore been made to develop teats for feeding bottles that allow the baby to feed as naturally as possible. The baby should be able to switch back and forth between the mother's breast and a feeding bottle as far as possible without confusion. Importance is attached to, among other things, the baby not being able to accidentally interrupt the flow of milk by pressing the mouthpiece of the teat too strongly together. In the early stages of the development of teats, another main aim was to ensure that the teat does not cause any lasting damage in the baby's mouth.
For this reason, the teaching of U.S. Pat. No. 1,590,152 is that the previously used teats comprising a long mouthpiece should be replaced by teats that the baby can no longer pull lengthwise. This published document also states that teats are known that have a hollow nipple, in which case the mouthpiece is provided with a thicker wall in order to ensure that it does not completely collapse during feeding.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,605,427 discloses a teat whose mouthpiece is reinforced by a hollow cylindrical insert part. The insert part has radial ribs on its inner face. This insert part is intended to avoid a situation where the mouthpiece is compressed and milk can no longer flow through.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,586,621 discloses a teat with a semi-rigid inner membrane and a thin elastic outer membrane. During feeding, this outer membrane is filled with milk via the opening in the semi-rigid membrane and thus begins to swell.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,101,991 discloses a teat whose mouthpiece is designed with a double wall. The inner wall forms a hollow cylinder which extends concentrically with respect to the centre axis of the mouthpiece and hangs freely down. At the bottom, in the direction towards the feeding bottle, this hollow cylinder is closed, except for a small through-opening.
In JP 2002011076, ultrasound images were used to examine how the natural feeding action of a baby actually appears. It is proposed that a teat be made available whose mouthpiece has zones of increased extensibility. This teat would then reach farther into the child's palate region, similarly to the nipple during natural breastfeeding of the baby. In a first variant, the mouthpiece not only has these zones of increased extensibility, but is also provided with axially extending ribs that allow milk to flow through even when the teat is compressed. In a second variant, instead of the ribs, an inner hollow cylinder is integrally formed on the tip of the mouthpiece and projects in the direction of the feeding bottle.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,966,904 discloses a teat with a milk channel which extends within the teat and which is formed by a separate tube. U.S. Pat. No. 7,320,678 discloses a variant in which the inner milk channel is formed in one piece with the teat. Both teats have a valve for regulating the flow of milk.